Sunday, July 22, 2012

His way is not my way, Isaiah 55:
8 tells me. He's been telling me to “drink in his peace--let go off
fretting—rely on what he brings my way—thank him for the things that disappoint
as well as the things that bring joy.”

As I looked off to the side I
could see the leaning cloud with its astute shading. My feet pedaled, the sprockets
clicked, the rubber tires moved me gently over the rough tarmack of Highway B.
It was like God was doing X games. You know those amazing riders on ESPN who flew
high, somersaulted their bikes, and landed smoothly on the down turned ramp. God
was twirling his bike handles in mid air, a fancy cloud stacked with flair, and
his voice said to me, “look at this! Isn’t it cool?!”I replied in my head, ‘That is fine, God. I am
happy for you. How majestic is your name. How clever are your skills. I am
truly impressed. But what will it be that you will bring to me??? What will be the thing
you want me to paint?’

I used to feel intimidated by the
wonders of nature. Felt compelled to master what I saw. Yanked this way and
that. How majestic is your name. It is enough to give him credit for his
astounding compositions in nature. I am drawn to wait. What surprise does he
have set aside for me….

Easel faced toward the east end of my
neighbor’s waning pond, the willows in shade, the edge of the water receded
from the heat wave. Half way through the morning, God brought his awesome clouds
into the patch of blue, just behind the tree tops. Combinations from the brush excited
me. EagerlyI ran to the shed and into
the house to pull out paintings with unfinished skies. Darkened values received
a new coat of titanium white and cobalt blue, swish spish swash splash. Muscles
jubilant, awash with joy. It came, just as he had said it would. Yes, he
brought this moment along with the energy and spunk. He who is high about the
tree tops. He who brought something unexpected. He who brought peace to drink.
A light load to bear. A smile for my heart.

Floating on my back in the Walmart
rim-inflated pool, I looked up at the green pattern above, fuzzy without my
glasses. How majestic is your name, Father. Jesus, this way, your way, high
above the branches, is not my way. Walk away, you tell me. Walk away from my
greed. Nothing escapes your attention. Time and again I fall back on my sneaky
ways. Your restraining order is a discipline with which you are training me.
Train me, Lord. Help me to wait. I will drink in your peace. Personal trainer,
lead me in your word. Train my heart. Teach me your way. You are doing it well.
Your peace quiets my mind, when it comes

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Friday evening, August 3rd, I invite you to join me from 7:00 to 9:00 pm for my art reception in Lincoln, Nebraska."As It Comes : Wood, Ink, Paper, Paint" will feature my latest creations in the lower level of The Burkholder Project. Check the map, it is right across the street from Lazlo's Brewery and Grill 719 P Street, Haymarket District, Lincoln, NE 68508

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Monday morning my wife and I went out biking on blacktop B in the heat. The ride was routine. We bike half way out, stop in the shade for a water bottle drink, and pedal back to the pickup truck at the beginning. When I loaded both our bikes in the back and sat in the cab with the air on I felt dazed, my mind was blank, the heat took myself away from myself. I had read about the dangers of heat exhaustion in the newspaper. It wiped me out. At home I drank cups of tap water, sat on the sofa with the air-conditioner turned up. My wife urged me to go sit in the cold pool. The hot breeze cooled the wet skin, dipping down, water over my head, standing up, air cold, and going under again. In time I came back to myself. Going out in the 100 degree heat for the hour workout was not wise.

As an artist, I feel I am "on the sidelines." The busy-ness of art making has slowed to standstill. The scripture reading this morning began " Do not fret..." and continued "trust in God..." he's got your back, let him lead you. delight in the one who brings you through the heat (psalms #37)

This is the crucible, the extraction of crap. Those things I wanted to gloat in, have been with held. This place of waiting to see. Living, waking, doing my water exercises, staying out of the heat, trying not to force a hand, waiting to let it come, believing in God that it will, hoping, letting go. Being without the computer at home takes control out of my hands. It reminds me of other times when my higher power arrested my attention. This week long triple digit heat shows me my determination can not complete against weather. I would be a fool to go and paint in that kind of heat.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

My membership to the Los Angeles Printmaking Society was denied in June due to technical difficulties on my part. The group reviews submitted woodcut and linocut images twice a year. I was invited to submit new images next time round. Honestly, it was not what I had hoped for. It told me there was more work, more tries on my part, more experience that I needed to gain. It was not going to be handed over easily. Then, today, my two entries toward the 75th SWE (Society of Wood Engraving) Exhibition were not accepted. My work will be returned by post. Two friends had encouraged me to submit work. One did not need to be a member of the society to enter. Here, there was an expensive postage involved to get it there. This is a disappointment. I had better hopes for this as well. What will I say about this? joys have come inspite of this news. My wife and I just returned from a wonderful road trip. At one point we were ready to cut the trip short just to sleep in the comfort of our own bed. We were pulling into the city Omaha when we asked Jesus for lodging with an outdoor swimming pool. We had no idea that the city was full of out of state visitors for the Olympic swim trials. We were directed to an Econolodge motel on west Dodge Street. It had an small outdoor pool. I found out the next morning that both of us had a comfortable sleep. We stayed another day, enjoyed the cool water, and did our water aerobic exercises. Later, we found an outdoor pool in St. Joseph, Missouri and stayed a night there, to swim in the heat of the day, and have great rest before returning to Carrollton. Joy came through putting puzzles together at the Legacy Terrace community in Lincoln, where my mother lives. The joy of eating a new food for me at a hispanic restaurant: shrimp. Yes, at 56 years of age, I just now discovered I like the taste and texture of shrimp. The joy of meeting my mother's friends. The joy of browsing through my mother's college scrapbook entries. Getting teary-eyed looking at her first baby announcement cards, that baby being ME. The love expressed by my father to my mother Dorris in early letters and postcards. Realizing the deep faith in Jesus that both my parents had. Joy from hearing Bob Popek tell two stories. How his workshops opened school children to the world of musical instruments. And, the time his son became a software engineer for Microsoft. The delight of meeting the parents of a student I knew at while at the University of Nebraska. The father of Carolyn Van Meter sat beside me at the Nelson family reunion luncheon table at the city park, Tarkio, Missouri. The gal I married had a distant relative connection to someone I went to school with from Guthrie Center, Iowa. Wow. What a surprise. The joy of meandering off the usual route. We heard about the bird club being formed in Wahoo, gazed at the wide sandy Platte river, cruised around Leshara, and appreciated iced water and the air-conditioner. Our membership at the Nelson Adkins Museum in Kansas City gave us free admission to the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. The joy of seeing new works of art and being out of the 100 degree heat. Having a new puzzle to assemble, a Story City landscape painting by Grant Wood. The movies we share, the food we enjoy, the way we compliment each other, the joy Jesus brought to us, how he packed five days full of good memories. Paul of Antioch said to rejoice in all things and give thanks to God. Jesus makes it possible for me to be OK with that. He leads me forward.

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grid shows the order that constrains sand amoebas

"THAT PAINTING BRINGS YOU JOY SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, AND I WOULD FOCUS ON THAT INSTEAD." DR.TANYA W. LAND, nurse practicianer specialist in Carrollton, MO

Cutting Block (Winter Scene)

"HELLO KARL. AS A FRIEND OF CHARLES AND ANITRA STEELE,I HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO YOU AND YOUR WORKAND AM ALWAYS INTERESTED IN READING YOUR WRITINGS AND ABOUT YOUR ACTIVITIES.I ESPECIALLY ADMIRE YOUR PERSISTENCE IN "BEING A TRUE ARTIST" IN SMALL CARROLLTON.I'M SURE IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU PERSONALLY NEED TO DO AND IN WAYS THAT YOU WILL PERHAPS NEVER KNOW ARE AFFECTING MANY IN A POSITIVE WAY.CONTINUE TO HEAL!!"Patt Behler, Jefferson City, MO

sand, packaging, and acrylic paint is seen in this detail of "A Thinking Reed's Response"

"ABOUT YOUR DAD: THE BLESSING THAT CAME INTO HIS LIFE WAS CONCORDIA. THIS SETTING HELPED HIM BECOME THE PERSON HE "BECAME." AND BY SETTING I MEAN THE COLLEGE AND THE CITY OF SEWARD. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. IT WAS THE PERFECT SPOT FOR HIM." JACK DUENSING, SEWARD, NE.

mixed materials used in "Wired To Hear Your Voice" by Karl Marxhausen, 2002

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owner of "Sundown" from Seward, NE

Welcome. Art is alive in the middle of North America. Ten miles north of the Missouri River, down the road from Moss Creek, I work with a variety of materials. This journal tells you what I am up to with PAINT, COLLAGE, RELIEF PRINTS, MARKERS, and MUSIC. Your comments are welcomed from around the globe. Posts go up every two weeks. Come back often.

plein air acrylic

"SOUNDS LIKE GOD HAS BLESSED YOU WITH YOUR ART. YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION TO MANY!!"sandy quick, kansas city, mo

"HOW COOL IS THAT KARL!! CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP AT IT - YOU ARE DOING WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WORK."richard hamilton, kansas city, mo

grappling with the neurons in consciousness

"I ADMIRE THE WAY YOU MAKE THE SCENE YOUR OWN. YOU USE ACRYLICS IN A NICE, FLEXIBLE WAY WHICH IS SO DIFFICULT."sheila vaughan, painter, united kingdom

"MAY THE LORD CONTINUE TO INSPIRE YOU!!"adebanji alade,artist, united kingdom

"KARL PAINTS WITH STRONG STROKES - SOMETIMES ALMOST SLASHES. HE SAYS IT ALL, FEARLESSLY, IN A FEW WELL CHOSEN WORDS FROM HIS PALETTE. HIS SUBJECTS ARE SIMPLE EVERYDAY THINGS THAT HOLD THE GREAT PLEASURES." phil chadwick, painter, ontario